Note4 crashing/rebooting seems widespread

[lrn2swim]

Went into a Sprint store and they're shipping me out a new phone at no cost. The tech there said this is indeed a widespread problem they are aware of and has to do with the last update to 5.1.1 from a few months ago. Something about overheating and frying the motherboard. I was told the newest update to 6.0.1 should include a fix to the problem. Pretty major screw up.

 

[stackberry369]

Mine hasn't crashed or rebooted

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[_YoKolorMeBadd]

Seems like this is only with Sprint phones...

 

[hamsterwheel]

Seems like this is only with Sprint phones...

Nope, mine is ATT

 

[Zryss]

I just wanted to chime in and say my note 4 from verizon just started having this problem a day or two ago all of a sudden. Wiped cache, even did a factory reset, battery isn't loose, removed external SD card, nada! It still keeps restarting. Will head to the verizon store soon but I dunno how helpful they'll be.

 

[Markie Dee]

Wow, i had no idea this was so wide spread. My phone starting doing this random restarting/dying around the same time as you all. Around March after the latest update. I am on T-Mobile and we get everything late as far as software updates. Now i have been chasing a wild goose by installing many different roms. I noted that the issue followed me through all wipes/refreshes , and clean Flashes. Now i am rooted and out of warranty coverage, and i have been paying for this phone for 2 years lol. I don't care about the money, i just have to know what the issue really is. I have a new OEM battery on the way to me. I also have a Nexus 6p on the way, as well as Google Fi subscription, because forget T-Mobile 110 dollars a month, and forget Samsung not going public about widespread defective boards. After 4 roms I have landed on Cyanogenmod, and it might as well be Marshmallow. it runs great but the problem of crashing to black screen, and required battery removal/reset still persist. It has not happened in 20 or so hours ,but anyway i am looking forward to my Nexus 6p. I will definitely be trying out the Note 6 because Samsung is going to get their act together with features apparently.

 

[smooches680]

Well my note 4 is not experiencing any of these issues.

 

[hillybillycrash]

My random 6-12 reboots just started as soon as Sprint sent the Marshmallow 6.0.1 update. I am also getting the annoying sd card notifications many of the S7 users are getting. Everything started when I updated to marshmallow. I unmounted and uninstalled the sd card last night and so far so good. No reboots. I had a 3 month old Samsung EVO 64GB in it. It should be still good. I ordered a Sandisk Extreme Pro 64Gb card to try as a replacement. But this could just be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Will update if the reboots have truly stopped as a result of unmounting the ss card. Seems innocuous if yhats the cure, but I'm trying to think outside of the box.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[diaperback]

I had no idea this was widespread. I ended up exchanging my n4 under warranty a couple of weeks ago. No problems yet with the new one, but if it's an overheating issue, then maybe I'm not out of the woods yet. Fyi, SnapChat induces a reboot for me. Uninstalled it.

Oh, and my battery life is amazing.

 

[stackberry369]

My note 4 hasn't been crashing or rebooting

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[MMMayhem]

Mine never had this problem 'til about a week ago when I got the OTA update to 6.0.1, so don't count on that update to solve your problem. Or maybe it works if you have the problem, but for me it created the problem.

 

[hillybillycrash]

Mine never had this problem 'til about a week ago when I got the OTA update to 6.0.1, so don't count on that update to solve your problem. Or maybe it works if you have the problem, but for me it created the problem.

Same here. Marshmallow created all my rebooting. I was also having the sd card notification constantly. I unmounted my 3 month old Samsung EVO 64gb card and took it out 2 nights ago. Haven't had a random reboot since then.
Very weird.

I have a brand new Sandisk Extreme Pro 64gb card on the way. I will update once I install it and see if anything goes wrong again.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Zryss]

So after having my note 4 re-flashed at best-buy and it still not working, I thought it was just going to be a useless restarting brick forever. However after I plugged it into the wall charger and let it fully charge, I managed to turn it on and it stayed on for as long as I left it plugged in. The moment I removed the wire from the phone, it shut off. So I thought "It must be the battery", yet when I unplug the phone charger from the wall, the phone was holding the charge just fine, it's only when the wire itself is removed from the phone that it would start the reboot-loop!

*Edit add* -Still reboots when at 50% and lower if using camera/installing/uninstalling heavy apps

Short version:
Keep the wire plugged into the phone after fully charging, remove wall charger but keep wire connected to phone.
- It may look stupid, but it works, hopefully till an update fixes whatever that issue is.

 

[MrMELTDOWN]

Mine started malfunctioning in recent weeks. If it's plugged in charging and I get a phone call, I swipe to answer and it won't answer. It sends the caller to voice mail and my lock screen comes up, then the screen goes blank. I unplug, swipe to get my lock screen again, it comes up but the screen goes blank again. After a few more times I can swipe on the lock screen and get to my home screen. This has happened about 4 times now. It only happens while the phone is charging. What gives ?
I'm with Verizon running 5.1.1
Posted via the Android Central App

 

[t0814bk]

Updated to Marshmallow on 3/31. Initially very happy with what seemed like better battery life, quicker charging, and the new My Files, which seemed to finally give more control over managing both internal and SD card storage through a stock application.

On the 2nd day after the upgrade, the phone (Samsung Note 4) started randomly rebooting. It did it constantly. Within 60-120 seconds of rebooting, it would do it again and not stop. Phone was actually very warm to the touch too. Tried the recommended Wipe Cache and remove battery, but still kept rebooting over and over.

Booted into Safe mode (hold vol down button when seeing samsung logo) and it worked great. Tried this for several hours and it seemed to no longer keep rebooting. Had phone back now, but no third party app access. I felt comfortable at this point that it was an app and not the phone or battery.

Removed the SD card and did a regular boot up. No more automatic rebooting. Left SD card over an hour and phone seemed to be working fine now.

Took all the data I had off the SD card I was using (Samsung EVO PRO 64GB) and transferred them to a Sandisk Extreme Plus 64GB. Put back in phone and within 5 minutes went right back into the constant rebooting cycle.

Not sure if you're going to have any better luck on a SD card switch. Seems to be something with the new SD mount/accessibility.

Need to keep SD out to be able to use the phone in normal boot until a solution is found.

Best source of information for fixing the problem:

https://motorola-global-portal.custhelp.com/app/answers/prod_answer_detail/a_id/109134/p/1449,9582

don't ignore the initial notifications to format your SD card....

 

[hillybillycrash]

I went the last 2.5 days with no sd card and ZERO REBOOTS. Pure bliss.

Then got my new Sandisk Extreme Pro 64gb SDXC card and formatted using the phone and installed it.

Reboots started within an hour. During calls, Facebook or just browsing. I'm considering an EXORCIST for my Note 4. It's possessed.

No seriously all the problems started a week ago when Android 6.0.1 was pushed on me by Sprint. The OS is causing this. The only cure is to yank out the sd card until enough people stop buying Samsungs. I'm dead serious. Zero reboots with my card out...

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[sparksd]

I went the last 2.5 days with no sd card and ZERO REBOOTS. Pure bliss.

Then got my new Sandisk Extreme Pro 64gb SDXC card and formatted using the phone and installed it.

Reboots started within an hour. During calls, Facebook or just browsing. I'm considering an EXORCIST for my Note 4. It's possessed.

No seriously all the problems started a week ago when Android 6.0.1 was pushed on me by Sprint. The OS is causing this. The only cure is to yank out the sd card until enough people stop buying Samsungs. I'm dead serious. Zero reboots with my card out...

Posted via the Android Central App

Something to perhaps try: Instead of formatting the card in the phone, format it as exFAT in a computer and see if that makes a difference.

 

[kieran.barratt]

I have the same problem with my UK note 4. Got the Ota update last Sunday, install then freeze, reboot wouldn't unlock. Tried to reflash with Odin took 3 days and numerous attempts but eventually got a 4.4 kitkat rom on. Updated through kies to the new version same issues plus it would switch off and boot straight into download every so often. Yesterday it switched off and won't come back no matter what I try, think that's the board fried but I phoned my service provider today and it's going to Samsung for repair tomorrow.

 

[natehoy]

So after having my note 4 re-flashed at best-buy and it still not working, I thought it was just going to be a useless restarting brick forever. However after I plugged it into the wall charger and let it fully charge, I managed to turn it on and it stayed on for as long as I left it plugged in. The moment I removed the wire from the phone, it shut off. So I thought "It must be the battery", yet when I unplug the phone charger from the wall, the phone was holding the charge just fine, it's only when the wire itself is removed from the phone that it would start the reboot-loop!

*Edit add* -Still reboots when at 50% and lower if using camera/installing/uninstalling heavy apps

Short version:
Keep the wire plugged into the phone after fully charging, remove wall charger but keep wire connected to phone.
- It may look stupid, but it works, hopefully till an update fixes whatever that issue is.

The overall issue sounds exactly like a battery with one or more failing/intermittent cells. If one cell is going and all the rest of the cells have a lot of charge, it's possible that the other cells can "carry the load" when the one cell checks out on you. However, if all cells are partly discharged, the other cells may be at a low enough voltage themselves that they cannot make up the difference, and the Battery Management System detects a dangerously low voltage and puts the battery in shutdown.

In general, when someone says "my battery dies at [insert number above 0% here]", my first instinct is "find a friend with a Note 4 and try their battery" or "drop 20 bucks on a new battery and see if that helps".

It's rare not to get a message "Yay!!! That worked!!!!" back.

 

[ahhChu]

My Note 4 on ATT was restarting randomly too but after a couple weeks it stopped doing it.. Not sure what happened but I'm thankful it did. Hopefully yours is fine.